Building an Archery Target Shed
Guidelines for building sheds for
archery bales used by the
Temecula Valley Archery Club
TVAC
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Archery Storage Shed Template
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Tools Needed:
Post Hole Digger for footing and form for perfect hole
Circular saw, Handsaw and jigsaw
Use a building T-Square or laser to perfectly align
Drill and wood drill bits, sanding block or sander and sandpaper.
String and batter boards to layout foundation
Carpenter’s Hammer, with 2 1/2” steel wire nails for roofing, and
also 2”, 2.5” and 4” deck screws for mounting materials
Also have a nail gun for inserting 1 1/4 roofing nails for roofing
Carpentry or soft marking pencil
Tape measure, gloves, dust mask and safety glasses
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Materials (Precut all pieces and mark these for faster assembly)
A – concrete, 4 tube forms, 4 post anchors FOOTING
B – 2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 80″, 2 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 68″ POSTS
C – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 96″, 7 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 51″ JOISTS
D – 12 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 99″ long DECKING
E – 2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 99″, 5 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 51″ RAFTERS
F – 14 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 49 1/2″, 7 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 96″ WALLS
G – 1 piece of 3/4″ plywood – 4’x8′, 40 sq ft of tar paper and shingles ROOFING
Actual Purchased Materials before budgeting before cutting
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4 pieces of 4×4 lumber – 8 ft
2 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 8 ft
6 pieces of 2×6 lumber – 10 ft
12 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 10 ft
7 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 10 ft
7 pieces of 1×6 lumber – 8 ft
1 piece of 3/4″ plywood – 4’x8′
40 sq ft of tar paper and shingles
Concrete, 4 tube forms, 4 post anchors and 2 1/2″ screws
Roofing felt, asphalt shingles
Note:
Measure the boards carefully before making the cuts and layout the lines for the exact shed
alignment using batter boards and string as you would with any building alignment. Measure
the diagonals and square the rectangle as you set up and adjust the batter boards and the
string, until they are equal. Use a T-Square or laser to align.
Time
One weekend or roughly 8-12 hours depending upon experience and help. Two or even
three experienced helpers would be faster than one person.
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Set up the Batter Boards
Build the Batter Boards.
Place the Batter Boards in the Right Location.
Attach String Lines to the Batter Board Top Edges and level string.
Adjust Batter Board String Lines perfectly
Set Corner Post Holes according to the String Lines.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Laying out the Archery Target Shed alignment
using batter boards and string
Attach string to the batter boards to lay out the perimeter of the shed. Batter boards can
be made from 2x3 or 2x4’s
Batter boards are set up as the temporary frames, set these beyond the edge and the
corners of a planned foundation at precise elevations.
These batter boards are then used to hold layout lines (using construction twine) to
indicate the limits (edges and corners) of the foundation.
Batter boards are used to mark the framework during initial excavation. Batter boards
ensure that all of the foundation walls are at the right angles. If they aren't squared and
level, they could make your foundation, and therefore your house, not level.
The stakes should stand perpendicularly. The stakes should be marked at a fixed point
and measured. The boards must be fixed horizontally between the stakes at the same
height from level, not ground.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
The batter boards must be placed in the same way for each corner of the building.
Tie one end of string to a wooden stake and hammer it into the ground at the highest
elevation in the area. Hammer in the second stake across the area you want leveled.
Dig 1-2′ deep holes with a posthole digger. Make these at least 6-8 inches round at the
string crossing. Pour about 2” of gravel in the hole and compact it thoroughly and then
install tube forms (usually, they have 8” diameter).
Mix concrete and fill the form. Use a level to check if the form is horizontal and install
the adjustable anchors, while the concrete is still wet. Use string to align the hardware
properly.
Use a long carpentry level to make sure all posts are level, measure the level N-S and EW as well as diagonally. This way the shed will be shimmed level and everything with fit
correctly when nailed together.
It’s also important that the footings for a building or a deck well below the frost line so
the posts don’t shift as the ground freezes and thaws. The average in California is 5” but
that’s between the mountains and the coast.
The Proper Way to Lay Out & Dig Footers would be to consult the local zoning board to
learn the depth of the frost line in one’s area and the building codes you must follow
when constructing the footers. California coastal area rule of thumb is 6 inches, so there
is very little to consider in Temecula.
Spraypaint the ground to mark the location of the trench for the footers. Excavate a
trench between the two spray-painted lines that extends below the frost line.
A shovel and a hand post hole digger are all that is needed to dig a deep hole in soft dirt,
but if you’ve got large rocks or hard pack in your area then a long pry bar is also helpful.
With hard pack it is also helpful to have a roto hammer or powered post hole digger to
break up the hole or it could be miserable.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Use a level to check the form horizontally and install the adjustable anchors to the wet
concrete. Use strings to align the hardware properly. Let the concrete dry out for at least
48 hours, before anchoring the 4×4 posts.
Use a circular saw to make the cuts. Measure carefully. Sand the edges with a sand blog or
sander to smooth edges.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Plumb the posts with a laser or level, secure it with at least two braces and then, insert the lag
screws. Measure a line up about 4 ft. from the concrete and double check the level with a
water level to see it all these are exact. This is basically clear tubing with water in it. After all
bubbles are removed it will tell you the perfect level by the water line. If these are not equally
level, compensate by marking the exact level on the 4x4 so that these can be used as the
measured reference level for assembly.
The slope of the roof should be steeper than 15º in order to drain the rain water off.
After you have cut the beams at the appropriate size, attach the rim joists. These are the 2×6
wood beams. You should level them properly, lock them with several C- clamps and drill pilot
holes before inserting the 4” screws, and leave at least 1/2” from the edges of the joists to
prevent the wood from splitting.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
After you have secured the perimeter beams to the 4×4 wooden posts, install the floor
joists. Use 2×6 beam and lock them into position, using joist hangers. Place these joists every
16” OC or simply ensure the joists are equally spaced.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Install the 2×4 or larger decking boards. Really your choice. You want these stiff
enough to stand on. You can save money on materials if you leave more than 1”
between the decking boards, but this will leave the sheds open to the ground
below. 1” hardwood can also be used if strong enough, but for long term results it is
even better to use 2x6 deck wood.
Drill pilot holes to prevent splitting and drive in 2 1/2” deck screws after you have
aligned the boards. Use galvanized or stainless-steel screws, since they resist
moisture.
Now install the rafters using 2×6 beams. You have to cut the ends of the rafters at an angle of
15º (or the same as the slope of the roof). Make these 15-degree cuts at both ends of the
rafters.
Place the rafters equally spaced at 24” OC between the rafters. Drill pilot holes and insert
4” screws.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Next, attach the roofing sheets using 3/4” tongue and groove plywood and secure them
with 2 1/2” steel wire nails. Drive nails every 6” along the rafters. Align the sheets properly
before driving in the screws, otherwise the roof won’t have a neat look.
When placing the sheets, make sure they overhang enough to cover the fascia for water
runoff. Use a fine-toothed hand saw to cut any excess plywood, along the rafters.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
Next, attach roofing felt, as in the image. Make sure you cover the whole surface, including the
trim and fascia.
Afterwards, install the shingles from the bottom left corner. Make sure the shingles overhang
the edge of the roof by at least 1/2, in order to drain water properly.
Secure the shingles into place with a nail gun, using 1 1/4 roofing nails. Snap a chalk line at the
top of the shingles as a guideline all rows.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
After you have covered the roof, you should mount the boards for the side walls. Use 1×6
slats secured them with 2” wood screws. Also add a back stop to prevent arrows from
passing through if they miss the target or pass through the bales.
You can leave a ½” gap between the slats in order to save material and to dry out the
Archery Targets quickly with natural airflow.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed
When finished you can sand the surface with medium-grit sandpaper and apply
several coats of varnish or other finishes in order to protect the Archery Target shed
from wood decay, sun, insect or water damage.
The next step would be to determine the types and targets used and the limits.
The bales alone would be fine for beginning classes using bows from 20-40 pounds.
These can be used also for schools, recreational areas, hotels or wineries.
You can use just the hay bales as a background for stronger Polyurethane targets as
well, when using heavier bows. There should be enough depth.
TVAC-14 Rev 1 Archery Target Shed